大象传媒

Image: Graham Dawbarn's famous question mark design for Television Centre, doodled on an envelope, 1st December 1949.

Arthur Hayes

Arthur Hayes worked on Television Centre from 1956 to 1970, acting as Resident Site Architect from 1962.

He worked with Chief Architect Graham Dawbarn (known as 'GRD'), and the 大象传媒's Civil Engineer Marmaduke Tudsbury. Myth has it that the building evolved from a sketch drawn on the back of an envelope, by Dawbarn. Arthur believes the story is not as simple as this, and that the plan evolved long before the sketch was made.

Arthur Hayes worked on the '大象传媒 Television Centre' lettering across the main studio ('TC1'), and the lighting 'dots' both seen from the street outside. The elevation facade of TC1 was something Arthur Hayes was particularly pleased with.

Biddy Baxter

It seemed that virtually anything could be staged at the new Television Centre. The vastness of the studios was a real liberation to programme makers who had had to cope with the cramped conditions of studios at Lime Grove and Alexandra Palace.

When Blue Peter moved to Television Centre, the sheer size of the studios became a great asset to series Editor Biddy Baxter. She still remains enthusiastic about the huge potential of large studios.

Yvonne Littlewood

Soon after Television Centre was opened, the 大象传媒 offered to stage a major international music festival. The 1963 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted from three studios at the Centre. The Contest was directed by Yvonne Littlewood, and was designed to 'show off' the newly built Television Centre.

Edward Barnes

The studios themselves are not the only asset at Television Centre. The famous circle shaped outdoor area at the very heart of the building, otherwise known as 'the doughnut', has featured in all manner of programmes.

Christmas 1977 was an important date for former Head of Children鈥檚 Programmes, Edward Barnes, when he exploited that part of the building to the full.

Alan Bayley

Television Centre has changed as a place to work over the years. Where traditional hierarchies between cast and crew were once fixed, a greater sense of collaboration and exchange of expertise is now commonplace.

Senior Camera Supervisor Alan Bayley, who joined the 大象传媒 in 1974, says roles have changed radically in the years since he started work on the studio floor.

Dave Earle

The physical vulnerability of any public building is something security staff worry about, especially during times of heightened terrorist activity.

In March 2001 Television Centre became a target itself in the dying days of the IRA's mainland terror campaign. David Earle was in charge of playout engineering operations on the night the bomb went off.

Gillian Thackray

Many 大象传媒 staff continue to express a real love for Television Centre as a building. The connection has built up over the years as staff have worked around the clock, during some momentous occasions.

Gillian Thackray who has worked on every floor of the building since 1982, allocating camera crews, and studios, says she loves the building, and recalls the night of the 'Millennium Bug' (1999 into 2000).

Sophie Raworth

A sense of pulling together, and the excitement of just making programmes happen, has always been a feature of the success of Television Centre.

News Presenter Sophie Raworth, says the atmosphere in the building during major events such as Children in Need is electric.

Bobby Warrans

If work hierarchies in the building have changed, there鈥檚 one thing that has not. If you come to Television Centre to see an audience show, or you've worked in the building, you can't escape the 'magic' of the place.

Bobby Warrans, who was a props buyer and maker for over twenty years, says some parts of the building are particularly special to him.